Making It to the Room Is Only Half the Story

Shayla Smith is a Chief Operating Officer with experience leading across operations, HR, recruiting, IT, finance, and client services. Her career has taken her through leadership roles in law, wealth management, and corporate environments, giving her a unique perspective on what it really takes to keep an organization moving. In this episode, Shayla and Nikki go behind the C-suite title to talk about the work that happens when no one is watching, the decisions, people, systems, and relationships that keep a business running. They explore what it means to navigate power structures as a minority woman, advocate for yourself in rooms where decisions are made, and balance the demands of executive leadership with motherhood. It's a conversation about the work behind leadership, the realities of being seen and heard, and building a career without leaving the rest of your life behind.